NAP1, a deadly strain of Clostridium difficile or 'C. diff', is the next deadly bacteria threat that has health officials worried. Much like staph infections, C. diff has been common in health care facilities, but in recent years, a growing number of people have been stricken by an especially virulent form of C. diff, known as the 'NAP1' strain. NAP1 causes illnesses ranging from simple diarrhea to blood poisoning - and death. Much like MRSA, NAP1 has developed a resistance to antibiotics and is now affecting young, otherwise healthy individuals. As with MRSA, doctors must resort to vancomycin, the last line of antibiotic defense. Infection rates more than doubled since the year 2000 and in February 2007, 23 states reported that they had witnessed the NAP1 strain but by November of 2007, that number grew to 38 states. Doctors are clearly alarmed at how quickly this toxic strain has taken hold in this country. One health official said, "Here's the problem with these bad bugs: They're very hard to stop when they get inside the body. The only defense we have is prevention." To read more about this deadly infection, please click here. To read a related article, please click here.